A quick clarification (i.e. "retcon")

I realized with that last post that I never really established what qualifies as a "new" release as opposed to a "retro." Initially I wanted to review new releases within a week or so of hitting stores, but since I tend to go for long periods without posting, that doesn't always apply. Also, I sometimes don't have time to let an album sink in during that amount of time.

Therefore, let me state for the record (no pun intended) that I will generally use the term "New Release" to apply to an album that has come out within the last 2-3 months, that I started listening to shortly after release. If a review is backlogged anymore than that, it will just be a "Review." I'll limit "Retro Reviews" to anything around 4+ years old. Sound like a deal? Too bad, it wasn't an offer. My house, my rules. :-P

Website: Bandcamp

Every now and then, a music-oriented website comes to my attention and really impresses me. MySpace started out as a nifty idea for the independent artist, but the potential for abuse and shift in direction was obvious from the get-go. When I first found mp3.com over a decade ago, it was a fantastic site for discovering lesser-known artists, but they whored themselves out pretty quickly.

I finally found the perfect spiritual successor to mp3.com, and it looks like they've implemented a solid model with great potential. It's the perfect example for the direction the music industry should be taking in the age of the Internet. The name of the site is Bandcamp, and when I first discovered it about two months ago, I decided right away that it should be the subject of my first website review. After giving it some time and thought, here are my observations.